Wednesday, April 6, 2016

When I was a child, on those Sundays that we didn’t trek into New York City to visit my grandmother, we use to take long Sunday drives after church. My sister and I would sit in the back seat of my father’s Ford Galaxie with our faces smeared to the windows; watching. Sunday was the quiet day of the week in suburbia. There were few shopping malls, if any. I do think there was one under construction. I'm sure it wasn't open on Sundays. The only store I remember being open on Sunday was the local delicatessen which most likely closed early in the afternoon. (we use to call them delis, I actually still do:)

My father would have the car radio tuned in to The Mighty 1290 WGLI the local AM radio station which played Italian music on Sunday mornings. My sister and I would peer out the back windows of the car taking in the sights while singing along to the songs we knew the words to. Sometimes in Italian, other times in English. My father always sang in Italian:)

As we drove along, I would wonder what was going on in other people’s homes. How many children lived inside? What kind of furniture did they have? All kinds of illusions would float through my head questioning things only to my mind’s eye. As the day would wind down and we would head home, I knew by the time we got back my mother would have the pot of sauce up for Sunday dinner and the rest of the day would center around the meal. If I was lucky and we ate early enough, sometimes I was allowed to take a walk after dinner. That was my favorite time of the day. As dusk settled on the neighborhood, lights would be lit and as I strolled through the neighborhood, I could get a glance of the glow inside the homes. It always mesmerized me and to this day I’m not sure why. The wonderment doesn’t exist for me anymore; I’m not sure why:)

In My Kitchen

In My Kitchen is an event hosted by Maureen; The Orgasmic Chef. The premise is simple. You post about what’s going on in your kitchen once a month before the 10th of the month. I’ve been enjoying visiting others who have been sharing their kitchen going ons for the past few months and I thought this Cookbook Wednesday would be the perfect day to join in on the fun.

We always had a cookie jar at our house when we were growing up. Most times it was empty. “Only for show” my mother always said. Here’s one of the cookie jars in my kitchen. And yes, right at the moment it too is empty. However, when my kids were home, they made it a point to keep it filled. My son John was usually the cookie baker at our house.

Speaking of John, that’s the Kitchen Angel he gave me for Christmas a long while back. On the bottom she reads:

“Cooking is like love. It should be entered into with abandon or not at all.”
~H. VanHorne

And finally, a few new things have entered my kitchen the past couple of weeks. Well, the Summer Truffle Salt is brand new, John brought it back from Italy. He and Robyn also stumbled upon a charming Italian bookstore while visiting and brought me a couple of cookbooks back written in Italian!!! I guess Google translate and I will be forming a “partnership” in the future:)

Cookbook Wednesday

Back by popular demand, Cookbook Wednesday!!! If this is your first visit to Cookbook Wednesday, welcome! Each Wednesday for the next couple of months I will be sharing a cookbook from my collection. Wait! There’s more. You are all invited to join in. And, guess what? There are no rules. Well, hardly:) It’s pretty simple actually. Share one of your favorite cookbooks on your blog and link up below. That’s it. You can share a recipe, a memory or even a review if you choose. But more about that later. Let’s get to this week’s selection.

Have you ever wondered about the history of Brunch? Well, the Kitchen Digest has the answer.

I couldn’t resist including some fashion plates of the era. Again, too bad they aren’t in color:) This one's for you Sonia!

Of course, there’s a home shopping department.

And a selection of miscellaneous home remedies and tips.

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There is a scattering of articles throughout the digest including traveling, decorating, sewing and the “romance of spices.” I couldn’t possibly include them all in this post. I’ve also chosen only one recipe to share. It’s an intriguing recipe for Cream of Mushroom Soup that splashes in a “secret ingredient; Angostura Bitters.

If you have a problem linking up with the linky tool below, you are more than welcome to include your Cookbook Wednesday link in the comment section or send it on over to me at acalendar {at} gmail {dot} come. I’ll be happy to show you how to do it or even do it for you! The most important part is to join in on the fun! One more note, it isn’t necessary to do a lengthy post in order to join Cookbook Wednesday. This post is a bit longer because of joining In My Kitchen:) “See” you next week, Louise:)

Psssst... I left a few links to Cookbook Wednesdays of the past for you to check out. Enjoy

66 comments:

Welcome to IMK.The Birdcage kitchen is indeed a marvel. If I remember when I get home from work later this evening, I will join in Cookbook Wednesday.PS you've reminded me that I have some angostoru bitter in my kitchen that never gets used - mushroom soup ay!

Hi Louise -- what a pleasant memoir of your family's Sundays! It really connects perfectly to the theme "In My Kitchen." As I promised, I've created a new "Cookbook Wednesday" post, and navigated my way through the balky link procedure so it's all done. Thanks for resuming this amusing blog event!

I always called them delis, too. Still do! And I don't remember shopping malls ever being open on Sundays. My hazy memory is that supermarkets were the first "big" stores to remain open 7 days a week. Anyway, great stuff in your kitchen, fun stroll down cookbook lane. Thanks!

Thanks John...After I wrote this post I kept on wondering whether I had my timing right. I seem to remember drug stores being opened before supermarkets but my memory is hazy too:) Thanks for popping by, John:)

Hi Louise , love the trip down memory lane with your family , those are memories that last forever . Your posts are always exciting to read and I always learn something . The Birdcage kitchen is so keen . The kids loved the pencil post , I printed it out for them. Things are still hectic here , birthdays ... I will join you soon , I am not sure when , hopefully soon . Tell Marion hello , have a fun week and keep wiggling those toes . Nee :)

Hi Louise, I still have the logo of your Cookbook Wednesdays, in my PC document, since you brought it back, I will join asap! I loved reading your Sunday childhood story...boy, oh boy, do I have one or two myself, from Ohio where I grew up. Our parents used to go visiting friends every Sunday afternoon after lunch, and I hated it...first of all it was boring, and second, they dragged us kids along, and we had to be at our best behavior just sitting there like 'little puppets'!

Your cookbook in Italian is a Regional Locale cookbook, obviously from different regions of Italy, which sounds interesting. Anytime you need to translate a recipe, just let me know and I will ask my daughter to do it for you in a jiffy. She speaks, reads, and writes in fluent Italian! (attended school there for 2yrs, and my husband taught them as well) I had a good laugh at the Poultice for Bruise solution, LOL...I can imagine going around with bread and butter/vinegar soaked arm, for my last bruise, and the Help for the Cold and Deafness? What's that all about? salt and water through the nose will prevent, deafness?...but as for cold, why not?! Very interesting vintage fashion and recipe books...thanks for sharing, my dear friend! xo

Hi Elisabeth:) How wonderful to learn you will be spending Cookbook Wednesdays with us, Elisabeth!!! Thank YOU!

Your story sounds familar Elisabeth. Aren't we all glad we've grown up and no longer have to behave like puppets, lol...

How sweet of you to offer your daughter's translation skills. Thank YOU! I have a few German cookbooks that are in German too. I've used google translate to help me out with them. I'll try it for the Italian cookbooks but just in case it's nice to know help is available:)

I always get a kick out of those long ago remedies and tips. I wonder where some of them stem from? Thanks for stopping by Elisabeth...

Hi, Louise! Love strolling down memory lane (especially the clothes) with you! And what else would one call a deli?

About stores open on Sunday - in College Point on Long Island during the 50s and 60s we had four pharmacies. They would take turns and post a sign on their doors to say who was open that Sunday. Yes, they were all within walking distance of each other.

I like your cookie jar. When I was young, I always thought "cookie jar" was just something people called decorative containers they kept on counters. My mom had a couple, but she kept empty bread bags in one and loose recipes in the other. I'm not sure my grandma had anything in hers. We all made plenty of cookies-- we just kept them in big Tupperware cake or pie keepers.

I love your "Kitchen Digest," too, and I'm so glad for the return of Cookbook Wednesday! Thank you for leaving a link to one of my previous entries. :-)

Your Kitchen Digest is quite entertaining! I love peeks into the past.

As for stores not opening on Sunday, I know that in Connecticut, that was because of Blue Laws, which were disregarded during Christmas season, between Thanksgiving and Christmas, and not discarded until the mid-1970s. And now we can't even dream of stores not being open ON the holidays! How times change.

I linked up for your inaugural Cookbook Wednesday; I resolve to try to do so every week!

It was because of the Blue Laws in New York too Marjie. I don't think stores were open during any holidays then but....So glad you're joining in for Cookbook Wednesday. I mean after all, you did "carry the torch" for quite some time) Thanks for visiting, Marjie...

Hi Louise! Such a lovely turn back to the past! My Sundays were full of family gatherings and food of course! Here we still have pharmacies and during weekends when all stores are closed. They are open in turns and everyone has a sign with which one is open. Have a lovely weekend!

This is such an interesting post! An amazing window into cooking ideas and digests from years gone by... I am new to IMK (just my second post!) and your Cookbook Wednesday so it's so much fun to 'meet' you and discover your blog. Love your little kitchen angel. Such a good quote on the bottom :)

I just wrote a comment but not sure if it went through, so I'm writing another - so good to meet you Liz! So interesting to read about Cookbook Wednesday, the clippings you've shared are fascinating. A definite window into the past. As for In My Kitchen, I am a newish participant (as of last month) so I am loving the opportunity to get to know other bloggers through the monthly link up. Your blog is really interesting! Love the kitchen angel (such a good quote) :) -Laura

Hi Louise,It is fun to read about your pleasant memories when you are still a child. Your cookie jar is really cute! Glad to see that Cookbook Wednesday is back in action. I'll definitely be joining in!

We would sometimes take Sunday drives when I was little to look for wild peacocks. It was fun! I love that your son brought you back truffle salt and two Italian books from Italy. So sweet. Love the tips & remedies section from your cookbook.

This is such a wonderful and nostalgic post. Love the travels in the car...we would travel on Sundays, too, and I, also wondered about other houses and kitchens. Nice learning about yours. I hope to join in the Cookbook Wednesday ... if I have time.. but I'll read everyone else! Thanks for sharing.

I'm surprised to learn how many of us have enjoyed those Sunday drives, Janet. And here I thought we were the only ines, lol...It would be GREAT to "see" you join in on Cookbook Wednesday. I bet you have a mystery cookbook up your sleeve, lol...

Hi Louise! I love that Menu Kitchen! I love large photos of food - I even have a print of Long Island heritage eggs in my bathroom! I wonder if the inventor of the Menu Kitchen might have been a food blogger at heart?

Hi Louise, I enjoyed your post with the blast from the past and the and all the bits of information, especially the pencil. We used to go out on Sunday drives with the kids at different attractions in the summer. This brings back some great memories. I remember the Sunday dinners too.

Thanks so much for your nice comment on my blog.Have a great April.Hugs,JB

What a fun post, Louise! We all remember different things about Sunday's after church. I lived in a very small town..NOTHING open except the movie theater in the afternoon. We always had broiled chicken for dinner. It was the first thing I learned to make.Am trying to think what's new in MY kitchen! Think the newest is a cherry pitter. Big time saver. And a new gin....St. George's Terroir. Yum. Dos that count? 😀

It was fun to join the In My Kitchen event for the first time Barbara. The "rules" are rather relaxed I think. I've seen quite an array of interesting In My Kitchen gadgets, foods, recipes, flowers and all kinds of things. You should give it a try. My cookie jar wasn't new and I shared it anyway, lol...

It's so surprising how many of us have vivd memories of Sundays when we were young. I've really enjoyed reading everyone's thoughts. Thanks for "driving" by Barbara...

Hi Louise,You are awesome dear friend! Love this post and can't wait till I post for Cookbook Wednesday! It really brought back many memories of the photos you posted of a time long ago. The Piggy Cookie Jar is so adorable and I love the story about when you were little riding in the car with your dad. I could just see this and I am so glad that you have so many wonderful memories of your childhood. The Kitchen digest is an amazing and interesting book I am sure. Wonderful post, thanks for sharing..Have a terrific weekend....(Thanks also for your words of thoughts for my family and myself. I am looking to post on Tuesday of next week, hopefully!)Love, hugs, and say hello to Marion! Dottie :)

such a cute cookie jar you have there though i think we would call it a biscuit barrel. i love those old ads - 50's era is it? and what about that mushroom soup? how interesting to add angostura bitters. and such a fun idea to bring you back italian cookbooks.

Sunday drives are indeed a thing og the past. There was an older couple in our community that would take their drives no faster than 25 mph. We would always chase them on our bikes. Have a great weekend!

Your Sunday drives remind me of the drives that we took as a family during the summer months. My dad was a farmer and he loved to drive around the area and look at the crops/fields during the summer, at the end of the drive we would stop at the drive-in for ice cream cones and root beer. Great post, I love the old pictures and your cookie jar.

We used to do wonderful Sunday outings when I was growing up too Louise. State Parks, lakes, the zoo, the museum in winter. I wish we'd done more of that when my kids were young... I suppose that has become one of the casualties of our over-busy lives. Someday I'll need to get organized enough for cookbook Wednesday!

Finding out what's going on in everyone's kitchen sounds so interesting. I have to check it out! I love that the recipe you mentioned includes bitters. I was just recently reading about cooking with bitters. That's great!

I am so sorry it's taken me so long to come here and check your post out. I feel terrible and the definition of a bad blog friend. I love the fashion snippets, they look incredible. That book is actually really amazing and I would KILL to view those kitchens in colour. The birdcage one is so interesting, so much is happening and I just need to know what colour those cabinets are and what about the flooring! Oh em gee! How did everyone manage back in those days with plain ole' black n white. Oh wait, it's called imagination. Something I seem to have misplaced LOL. BTW though maybe different to your Sunday strolls at dusk, I've had a fascination with what lays behind the windows and walls of homes. Not because I'm a busy-body (I don't care about the humans) but because I'm just intrigued over the interiors!